Creditors to meet over conservatories.

A CONSERVATORY company which left householders heavily out of pocket is going into liquidation - as the fraud squad revealed it is helping a probe into its affairs.

Direct Conservatories UK, run by David Richardson, of Crambeck Village, near Malton, is now known to have let down more than 30 customers across the region who paid deposits of up to £3,500 for conservatories to be built at their homes.

Now they have been invited to a creditors' meeting next Tuesday at York's Post House Hotel, at which they will be invited to vote for the appointment of a liquidator to deal with the winding-up of Claro Vale Ltd, which traded as Direct Conservatories UK.

A director is also due to present a report on the trading history of the company, which was registered in York but traded from Harrogate, and also on the reasons why it cannot now continue its business.

Trading standards officers have been investigating the business since april, and the Tadcaster-based fraud squad revealed this week it is assisting them in their probe.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Ross said a number of members of the public had complained that they had paid deposits for conservatories to be built at their homes, but no conservatories had ever been built.

"We are most concerned about whether it was possible for the company ever to build conservatories. That is why we are involved."

Trading standards spokesman Richard Flinton said at least 30 customers, including one from York, were now known to be out of pocket after paying deposits to the firm. "Our investigations are continuing," he said.

Householders are known to have paid between £850 and £3,525 in deposits and are furious that nothing was ever built.

Single parent Claire Dixon said she had paid £1,200 as a deposit last November and was "absolutely disgusted" at what had happened.

Mr Richardson told the Evening Press in April that the business had ceased trading "due to circumstances beyond my control," but would not comment when asked if it had gone into liquidation. He said it had always been the company's intention to install the conservatories which had been ordered, and he totally disagreed with any suggestions to the contrary.

The Evening Press visited Mr Richardson's home in Crambeck on Wednesday to give him opportunity to comment on the liquidation and the involvement of the fraud squad, but he did not come to the door and did not respond to our invitation to call the Evening Press.

PICTURE: David Richardson: declined to comment on situation